August 20th, 2011
Hanging up the Rolling Bag
I’ve been working in a new role at IBM for a little over a month. After a being on the road or on call pretty much every day for over 2 years, I basically broke down - blew a gasket - called in crazy. Travel for work sucks. Stress got to me, and I requested something different.
One good thing about working in a large corporation is that sometimes there’s a magical set of circumstances that let good things happen. At about the same time, several other people in the support group expressed a desire for change and in a move worthy of Major League baseball, four of us were traded to different departments and all landed in jobs we could do as well, or better than the ones we left.
So what am I doing? Still support - just not road support. and no surprise - the group I’m in supports C&S. So as a few of you have found out, when you open a PMR, sometimes it will be me who calls you back. I’ll be doing that - solving PMRs, answering questions, but also producing more documentation. Which I expect you to read before calling by the way!
So what do I get out of this? I traded freedom for a phone shift - but predictable hours - my day starts and ends on a schedule. Its a LOT of work - especially in the summer - lots of calls per person - and some seriously weird problems. My team mates are rock solid - I’ve worked with them for over a year already, so they know me and I know them. We work together on your issues. I get to specialize in something I already know well. I’ll still have to learn the new products and technology, so I’m keeping my edge with Traveler, Connections and LotusLive. I don’t HAVE to do that, but I want to.
I’ll still speak at conferences - The View has invited me to Barcelona in November with a few others - and I’m grateful for the opportunity and the chance to see my European friends and maybe even some family there. I’m hoping to be involved in helping to plan Lotusphere again this year - and its not to early to be planning your presentations for that. (You’re welcome - I needed to make you nervous already.)
I have lots of other things on my list also - like move this blog to Wordpress, write some for fun, travel for fun, get more rest, and get more exercise.
I’ve worked for IBM since 2000, and for all but 3 years or so, I’ve been in full time travel jobs. I need a break. I’m getting too old for it. I am grateful to my mangers at IBM that helped make this possible. And I am excited about the new opportunity and my brain and body have both relaxed. So don’t forget - Get Social, do Business and all that, and get cracking on your Lotusphere ideas.
